Meet Joshua Thunderbird | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Thunderbird and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joshua, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was always very artistic, even as a child. some of my first memories were coloring books or drawing my own cartoons. I have always been very passionate about drawing because learned to read through comics & visual story telling. I knew as a small kid this is what i love to do, and want to spend my life doing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is like my personality, kind of all over the place. I tend to have more of a Saturday morning cartoon or comic book feel & style. Thats how i learned to read and my first real exposure to artwork so i guess that’s how the foundation got laid, so to speak. I try to bring that to my love of music & movies. I tend to do a lot of horror and supernatural type of stuff, but i try to have fun with it all. I am actually in the process of drawing an entire tarot deck, using my own imagination as the fuel.

i started professionally around 16 just drawing stuff for friends for quick cash here and there. Later on i got a job at a t-shirt company doing the artwork for high school sports. after about a year or s0 there, i started doing the artwork and merchandise for a local independent professional wrestling company. But i decided around 2012 that i had gotten tired of doing what other people wanted. I also got really tired of other people making money off my work, and my not getting paid enough for it. So i quit and started doing things for myself, by myself. it definitely was NOT easy. knowing what i know now, i would have done things a lot differently and better. But that’s half the journey, making those mistakes. Learning how to IMPROVE and GROW, as both an artist and as a brand.

In the last couple of years i have started to re-purpose old used items in my art as well. I’m Now drawing on old Road maps (cause who the hell uses them anymore), drum head skins, guitars, and SHEET MUSIC. im actually starting a second brand now, just for the sheet music pieces. I’m actually very excited about this project.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The great thing about Chicago (and the suburbs) is that there are so many places to see, and even more to go eat some of the most amazing food ever. I have my own favorites, so depending on what my friend likes, i know where we are going. LOL. then there is probably gonna be sitting around, catching up & reminiscing over drinks. i don’t know much else besides that. i spend so much time drawing, watching movies and i’m always working on something so i probably wouldn’t be the best to visit for a whole week. a weekend maybe? assuming i am NOT travelling or doing a convention somewhere else.

Unless we are talking road trip! cause that would be one hell of a different kind of adventure!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are A LOT of people who deserve some recognition for their help, love and support. My sisters KIM & THERESA, my dog Snickers, Tom, Machine (mike prater), Steve Baggio, Rebecca Portwood, Dr. Anna Rodecki , Danielle Sayles, Elena Peters, Don Johnston. i could go on for hours thanking everyone who helps or has helped me over the years. Especially my girl Lisa!!

Website: https://ko-fi.com/jthunderbird

Instagram: @joshuathunderbird

Facebook: https://facebook.com/joshuathunderbirdart

Other: I do love to travel and see the country, so if you have or know a convention you would like to see me at, please let me know. Let them know you want to see me there also! have art: will travel (if affordable)

Image Credits
thanks to Wizard World (now FanExpo) for the shot of working on the sketch cover comic